title: Serum and urinary free microRNA level in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.
abstract: MicroRNAs circulating in body fluid have been suggested as biomarkers of various diseases. We studied the serum and urinary level of several miRNA species (miR-200 family, miR-205 and miR-192) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We studied 40 SLE patients. Serum and urinary miRNA levels were determined and compared with that of healthy controls. The serum levels of miR-200a, miR-200b, miR-200c, miR-429, miR-205 and miR-192, and urinary miR-200a, miR-200c, miR-141, miR-429 and miR-192 of SLE patients were lower than those of controls. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) correlated with serum miR-200b (r = 0.411, p = 0.008), miR-200c (r  = 0.343, p  = 0.030), miR-429 (r  = 0.347, p = 0.028), miR-205 (r = 0.429, p = 0.006) and miR-192 (r =  0.479, p =  0.002); proteinuria inversely correlated with serum miR-200a (r = -0.375, p = 0.017) and miR-200c (r  = -0.347, p = 0.029). SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI) inversely correlated with serum miR-200a (r = -0.376, p = 0.017). Serum miR-200b (r =  0.455, p = 0.003) and miR-192 (r = 0.589, p < 0.001) correlated with platelet count, while serum miR-205 correlated with red cell count (r = 0.432, p =  0.005) and hematocrit (r = 0.370, p = 0.019). These pilot results suggested that miRNA may take part in the pathogenesis of SLE. Further studies are needed to validate the role of serum miRNA as a biomarker of SLE.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Tam
authors.forename: E K M
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: B C H
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Kwan
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Chow
authors.forename: C C W
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Luk
authors.forename: P K T
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Szeto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000652:urine*; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine*; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D035683:MicroRNAs; C546783:MIRN192 microRNA, human; C533896:MIRN200 microRNA, human; C534425:MIR205, human